How to Properly Maintain Your Hearing Aid at Home

Hearing aids need proper care to help protect them. Some repairs that hearing aids need should be carried out by a professional. However, there are numerous things you can do to look after your hearing aids at home. By taking good care of your hearing aids, you can prevent them from being damaged and keep them working optimally. Your hearing instrument specialist (HIS) can give you some tips on maintaining your hearing aids when you get them or whenever you want to ask a question.

Cleaning and maintaining your hearing aids will aid in protection, improve performance and help them last longer. Here are some of the tips that you can use to look after your hearing aids and make sure you can use them for longer.

Cleaning your hearing aids

Keeping your hearing aids clean is a must if you want to prevent damage and ensure your hearing aids work as they should. Earwax can get into certain parts, and dust and dirt can affect your hearing aids too. How you clean your hearing aids and how often will depend on the type of hearing aids.

If you wear a behind-the-ear (BTE) or in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid, you should use a soft, dry cloth or moist cleaning wipe each day. This enables you to not only remove any debris from your devices, but also allows you to examine the technology and ensure it’s still in good shape.

Avoid using any strong cleaning products or alcohol to clean your hearing aids. You can get cleaning wipes designed for hearing aids.

Caring for batteries

You need to take care of your hearing aid batteries to keep your hearing aids operational. The first thing you need to know is what size batteries you should be using. Generally, the larger your hearing aids are, the larger the battery size. Different batteries last for different lengths of time. Some may last a few days while others can keep going for weeks. It’s always useful to have spare batteries on hand. Make sure that you store your batteries in a cool, dry place to protect them too.

If your hearing aids are rechargeable, you need to know how to recharge them. They should have their own charger and your hearing instrument specialist can tell you how long to charge them for.

General maintenance

A few general maintenance tasks may be necessary to protect your hearing aids and their function. If you have BTE hearing aids, the tubing may need to be changed every six months or so. You can ask your hearing instrument specialist how to do this or check the manual for your hearing aids.

ITE hearing aids have a filter system designed to prevent earwax from getting inside them. This filter needs to be changed regularly to keep it working. If you do need to remove any earwax, you can use a soft brush. You will often get one of these with your hearing aids.

Protecting your hearing aids when you’re not wearing them

When you’re not wearing your hearing aids, be sure to protect them. Don’t wear them while you’re showering, bathing, or swimming to prevent them from getting wet. When you take them out, put them in their case if you have one (or in their charger if you have rechargeable hearing aids). Keep them somewhere safe and dry to protect them. You can use a drying box or pouch to dry and clean them. These are great for storing your hearing aids at night. Store them where they won’t be in danger of someone sitting on them or standing on them – or pets or children trying to handle them.

Troubleshooting problems with your hearing aid

Most hearing aid repairs are easier for professionals to carry out. However, there are a few troubleshooting tips you can use if your hearing aids don’t appear to be working. Firstly, check the volume to ensure you haven’t accidentally turned it down. Try changing the batteries if your hearing aids won’t turn on or the sound is too low. Cleaning your hearing aids might also help if you’re not getting the right sound from them. If you’re unable to find the problem yourself, get in touch with a hearing instrument specialist for help with repairs.

If you want to know more about how to maintain your hearing aid or you need help with maintenance and repairs, contact us at Beltone Hearing Centre in Lethbridge. Call 403-942-4327 to schedule an appointment.